One of the most prominent law firms in the entertainment industry was the victim of an attack by computer hackers last week. Using ransomware known as REvil, the group targeted the firm Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks and obtained 750 gigabytes of classified data involving celebrities like Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Drake, Robert DeNiro, U2, Bette Midler, and Lebron James.
The hackers demanded $21-million or threatened to start leaking the stolen information. Rather than pay the ransom, attorney Allen Grubman and the rest of the New York firm reportedly hired cyber-extortion specialists to handle the situation.
The hackers responded by releasing Gaga's private documents; a 2.4-gigabyte folder reportedly featured the singer’s contracts with producers and collaborators, expense sheets and reimbursement forms, confidentiality agreements, and promotional agreements and photos. Additionally, the hackers have doubled their ransom demand to $42-million.
